In harvesting corn with a corn picker or forage harvester, it is often found to be advantageous to provide a crop lifter auger at one or both sides of the crop intake assembly. This crop lifter auger is sometimes referred to as a “corn auger” or “silage auger”. The auger is in the form of a conical screw conveyor which extends generally in the direction of travel of the harvesting machine. The conveyor is rotated by a drive. The conveyor is also inclined upward and rearward from an apex which is disposed on its forward end. It conveys lying plants upward and rearward wherewith they are taken up by the stream of crop material.